A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Apple Airpods Max are headphones with active noise cancelling, wireless connectivity, and a built-in mic, great for air travel and everyday use with a closed-back design for privacy. They are not suited for exercise due to their size and weight. In contrast, the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II are earbuds with superior sound quality and a unique driver combination, offering a more audiophile experience. They are wired, without noise cancellation, making them less versatile for travel or noisy environments, and their larger size may affect portability and comfort for some users. Consider your primary use—convenience and features with AirPods Max, or sound quality for critical listening with Monarch Mk II. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple Airpods Max
- Excellent for air travel
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II
- Best in class for music
- Very good for TV and video
Key differences
Music
7.3
9.5
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is best in class for music, while the Apple Airpods Max is good.
Gaming
5.5
6.7
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is only fair for gaming, while the Apple Airpods Max is poor.
Phone Calls
6.6
5.1
The Apple Airpods Max is only fair for phone calls, while the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is poor.
TV and Video
5.7
8.8
The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is very good for TV and video, while the Apple Airpods Max is poor.
Noise Reduction
10.0
6.0
The Apple Airpods Max is best in class for noise reduction, while the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is only fair.
Battery
21.0 Hours
N/A
The Apple Airpods Max has 21 hours of battery life. The Thieaudio Monarch Mk II does not have a battery.
Cost
$549
$999
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Apple Airpods Max has a price of $549 and the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II costs $999.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Headphones
Find your new headphones
Key similarities
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.0
7.9
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple Airpods Max to be very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II is good.
Build Quality
9.0
9.0
The Apple Airpods Max and Thieaudio Monarch Mk II both have excellent build quality.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple Airpods Max and the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple Airpods Max | Thieaudio Monarch Mk II |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$549 | $999 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Apple | Thieaudio | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2020 | October 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.4/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 6.6/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.8/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.2/10 | 4.5/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 21 Hours | N/A | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | N/A | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | N/A | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 10/10 | 6/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | N/A | |
Android App | |||
Android App | No | N/A | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | N/A | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 385.5 Grams | 9 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | N/A | |
Shopping
Apple Airpods Max
See more
Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Adam Molina | July 2023
"Objectively, the AirPods Max is a spectacular pair of headphones. I appreciate the smart features like auto-pause and the transparency mode are super practical. It also sounds great, is well-built, and has solid battery life."
Thieaudio Monarch Mk II
See more
Dig into reviews and images
Audiophile On
Audiophile On | August 2021
"No other earphone I have listened to in the past 12 months has given me as much joy as the Thieaduio Monarch MKII. One of those IEMs will make you question where we can go from here. The sound is jaw-dropping, leaving you wanting more and more. It makes you want to run through your entire music library and reevaluate. It makes you not feel bad about paying full price for them, especially in a hobby where buyers' remorse is genuine. For me, it's top tier, rivaled by a few but not surpassed."
Get a great deal on the Apple Airpods Max or the Thieaudio Monarch Mk II
About Apple
Apple Inc. is an American technology company, founded in 1976, known for its wide range of premium products, including smartphones, computers, and audio solutions. Apple offers the very popular personal audio line AirPods, highly regarded for their wireless, smart capabilities and their seamless integration with the iPhone, iPad and Mac devices. They provide a high-quality sound, comfort and lifestyle features perfect for all users invested in their ecosystem.
About Thieaudio
Thieaudio is the in-house brand of Linsoul Audio, a Chinese earbud and headphone retailer specializing in what the community lovingly calls Chi-fi, that is high fidelity brands out of China. Thieaudio was established in 2019 as the creative engineering branch of Linsoul. As of today, they market three different lines of earbuds, Voyager, Legacy and the extremely well-received Monarch.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Earbuds or Headphones guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
Compare Apple Airpods Max vs. Sennheiser IE600
VS
Compare Apple Airpods Max vs. Master & Dynamic MW75-Neuro
VS
Compare Apple Airpods Max vs. AKG K712 Pro
VS
Compare Thieaudio Monarch Mk II vs. HifiMan Arya Stealth
VS
Compare Thieaudio Monarch Mk II vs. Bang and Olufsen Beoplay H95
VS
Compare Thieaudio Monarch Mk II vs. Audeze LCD 2 Classic
VS
FAQs
FAQs about earbuds and headphones
Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
108
Earbuds and headphones evaluated
11,340
Earbuds and headphones stats compiled
15
Proprietary Earbuds and headphones ratings developed
123,800
Recommendations made
18,570
Consumer hours saved
About the Earbuds or Headphones team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Luis Torres
Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.
Featured in
